Cervid Diseases and Resources

The term cervid is used refer to any one of the various members of the Cervidae family, which include white-tailed and mule deer, elk, moose, and caribou as well as reindeer, axis, sika, among others. For many people cervids are considered symbols of the wilderness and biodiversity. Cervid species are also a popular game species worldwide, used for their meat and hides, as well as their antlers for medicinal and ornamental purposes. In some countries deer, elk and moose are farmed. In the United States, the cervid farming industry is a vital and growing business, with over 7,000 operations and 2,000 hunting preserves across the nation. The diseases listed here are some of the most important transboundary diseases of cervids. Some of these are zoonotic.